Thanks, Minister, for your statement today and the regulations that have been set out before us as well. As the Minister, I'm sure, is aware, and many people are aware, I'm a keen follower of corporate joint committees. I was intrigued to see them on the order paper here today.

As you've outlined, Minister, the key functions of the south-east Wales corporate joint committee are in relation to economic well-being, transport functions and strategic development, and they're seeking this delay in terms of their start date to end of June 2022. That is a concern, of course, that there have been identified—some of the issues that you noted. And it does play into some of the issues that we have raised on these sides of the benches about concerns around corporate joint committees and the concerns about how valuable they're going to be, or not, here in Wales. But as this request has come directly from councils, it's also clear that it is having some adverse impact on them and on their work that they are trying to complete, and that is worrying.

I would be interested, Minister, to understand the new date of 30 June, not just for south-east Wales but for the other corporate joint committees—. How confident you are with that being a date where CJCs will be able to be in place properly. And you outlined in your statement as well the relationship and the work you are having with councils in implementing these. I'd be interested to know how you feel that relationship is now, in the implementation of CJCs, and to ensure that they are adequately funded, because if these things are going to happen, which they are of course, they need to work as best as possible, and to make sure they are adequately funded and resourced so that they can do the best job possible to serve their communities. 

So, to conclude, Llywydd, as Conservatives over here we have been concerned, and continue to be concerned, with the implementation of CJCs, but we do appreciate that they are there and they do need support to make them work. So, in light of this mix of being concerned about the CJCs but also wanting to support councils in them being properly ready to implement some of these regulations, we will be abstaining on the regulations today, and hopefully we'll see some improvements in this area, sooner rather than later. Thanks, Llywydd.